Robot vacuums are great at keeping your floors clean, but there are a few areas they fall down on the job – stairs being one. Another is chairs and stools. You know the scenario: You have a row of stools at a kitchen table, or chairs tucked under a dining table, and the robovac just […]
The greatest invention in pet tech in recent years is the litter robot. A machine that scoops your kitties’ poop so you don’t have to – what else could a cat owner possibly want? How about insights into your kitty’s litter box usage that could flag health issues? Sign me up. But I have two […]
Robot lawnmowers are finally good enough to take a lot of work out of maintaining a yard, but they’re still not set-it-and-forget-it machines. If you don’t want these autonomous cutting machines to tear up your lawn or go roaming in your neighbors’ yard, you’re still going to need to keep an eye on them. But […]
Matic, my current favorite robot vacuum, just got a big upgrade. The company has launched Matic Cues, which brings voice and gesture control to the robot. Now, you can talk directly to your vacuum to tell it what you want it to do, or just point at a mess to have it spot-clean. The feature […]
No other gadget knows as much about your home as a robot vacuum. They map your space, learn your routines, and many now carry a camera and microphone into every room in your house. As AI gives them a better understanding of what they see, the privacy and security risks these autonomous robots pose are […]
Google DeepMind says the latest version of its Gemini Robotics AI model can “control entire humanoid robots.” While the previous model focused on controlling a humanoid robot’s upper body, Gemini Robotics 2 now supports “whole-body motions” ranging from its feet to fingertips, according to an announcement on Thursday. The new model will allow humanoid robots […]
When the Trump administration announced yesterday that it was banning “advanced robotic devices” from entering the United States, the headlines were all about humanoids. But spying doesn’t require legs – and neither does the FCC’s robot ban. The robot ban will sweep up robot vacuum cleaners too, FCC media relations director Katie Gorscak confirms to […]
The US government is targeting China with a new import ban on “advanced robotic devices” and power inverters made in foreign countries, as reported earlier by Reuters. In an announcement on Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission says the ban will include “mobile” robots, such as humanoid and quadruped models – but it is not limited […]
Boston Dynamics’ robotic quadruped Spot has already found work doing routine factory inspections and patrolling the ruins of Pompeii, but what about deliveries? The company is testing a new conveyor belt accessory that allows Spot to carry packages from a vehicle and autonomously unload them on a customer’s doorstep in an effort to reduce a […]
What if you had a drone that wasn’t a buzzy, annoying fly people wanted to swat – but rather a cute dog that runs and jumps? What if it could do tricks on command and film your tricks as well? What if it could get right back up after a nasty-looking crash, dozens of times […]